Svalbard Glacier Calving Front Positions 1985-2023

124,919 calving front positions for 149 marine-terminating glaciers in Svalbard were mapped using an automated deep learning framework on optical and SAR satellite imagery. The dataset consolidates glacier terminal traces, centrelines, domains, fjord masks, and along-centreline change time series into a single geospatial package. High-resolution maps and time-series plots for each glacier support analysis of ice loss dynamics over nearly four decades.

Use Cases

• Analyzing long-term calving front retreat or advance based on the along-centreline change time series.
• Modeling glacier-ocean interactions using the precise glacier domain and fjord mask geometries.
• Validating automated ice feature detection algorithms against the high-resolution terminal traces.
• Investigating regional climate change impacts by comparing calving dynamics across 149 individual glaciers.

Strengths

• Contains a large volume of observations, with 124,919 individual calving front positions.
• Covers a long and recent temporal range from 1985 to 2023.
• Integrates multiple data types (traces, centrelines, domains, masks) into a unified geospatial product.
• Derived from a novel automated deep learning framework applied to multi-sensor satellite data (Landsat, Sentinel, etc.).

Limitations

• Specific column names and attribute details are not provided in the available metadata.
• The exact data volume (file size) and row counts for individual layers are unknown.
• Conflicting descriptions omit the 'fjord_masks' layer in one source, suggesting potential inconsistencies in documentation.

Provenance

Source

Tian Li, University of Bristol

Collection Method

Generated using an automated deep learning framework applied to optical (Landsat, Terra-ASTER, Sentinel-2) and SAR (Sentinel-1) satellite imagery.

Time Range

1985-2023

Geography

Svalbard archipelago, focusing on 149 marine-terminating glaciers.